Alex McGunnigle, who is one of Scotland’s oldest lollipop men, has finally put down his lollipop stick for good.

Alex, 85, is taking his second shot at retirement tomorrow after an amazing 28 years of lollipop service on the corner between Merrylee and Clarkston Road.

“I started being a lollipop man in 1991, when I took early retirement”, Alex says. “The kids keep you young.

“I think Christmas was my favourite time of the year, because they get so excited. The plays that the kids do are terrific.

“They’re so excited now for summer. There is always something going on!”

Sitting with Alex in the foyer of Merrylee Primary School, our conversation is pitted with ‘hellos’ and ‘cheerios’ from pupils and staff alike.

Alex has spent the last three decades helping children to walk across the roads between Merrylee Primary School and Our Lady of the Annunciation Primary – and the kids are sorry to see him go.

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Ben, who is nine, says that Alex has helped him cross the road since he was in nursery.

“I’ll be sad when he leaves. My mum always liked him too”, says Ben.

Alex has helped generations of families cross the corner between Merrylee and Clarkston Road, and has watched as the area has been completely redeveloped. He is older than the building that we are talking in now.

“You see changes all the time. It’s incredible, this building from the old one. It’s been good for the place and this is a lovely school. There are so many different kids, and some of them are bringing their kids now!”

Alex was born in 1934 in the Gorbals, and went to St Francis Primary School. Alongside his work as a lollipop man, he has been an incredibly active in the Merrylee community, running the bingo for the ‘old folk’ and being a member in Cathcart bowling club. Colette Haddock, Merrylee head teacher, says that Alex is always seen picking up every bit of litter in his collar and tie.

“I’m a bricklayer to trade” Alex says. “When I left school, I went into the army and did my two years’ service and went back to my trade.

“My twin brother Harry and I went into refereeing, and I got onto the seniors list. I’m still involved.

“I’m a past president of the referees. I still go to all the meetings!”

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Alex now plans to spend his second retirement caring for his wife, Anna. “I even helped my doctor cross the road!”. he laughs.

Although he tells me that he will miss the children, he says that being a lollipop man is a great job and he thinks that more people should do it – even if the corner that he works on is agreed by the lollipop-community to be a ‘bad one’.

“The beauty of the job is that you meet all sorts of people”, Alex says.

“They gave me a lovely assembly to say goodbye. It’s hard to be sad in a school.

“It has all changed here, and it’s incredible.

When I look in and see all the wee tots on the computer, I just think its fantastic.

“It’s a good job for anybody that wants to do it.”